Adjustable bed rail unit

ABSTRACT

A guardrail unit for hospital beds or the like including an adjustable spring-loaded frame assembly for mounting on differently sized bed frames. The frame assembly includes a guide and clamping device for quick assembly and release from the bed. The frame assembly has two telescoped axially movable tubular members arranged so that they must first be rotated angularly with respect to each other in order to slide them inwardly of each other.

United States Patent References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS M t l l r Un e n u w m.m a m m m We mam @Ma cCCR m rfr. m uuu MMM n M 33 H 366 r999 u UH ni O75 mmw 1 d mxE 002 E 075 Wm e 279 m O98 m m "St 333 PAA o NX a N M n n d M l a o m m b WW m Po 0 .m 09, 6 V. r 8 8 B T m 3 u m. m m99 m e n 62 7 x hn .m nL YnO H58 802 AlM&LBC8 0. de mm g P i p mmw AFPA11]] 253 2247 [[[l ABSTRACT: A guardrail unit for hospital beds or thelike in cluding an adjustable spring-loaded frame assembly for mountingon differently sized bed frames. The frame assembly includes a guide andclamping device for quick assembly and release from the bed. The frameassembly has two telescoped axially movable tubular members arran 5 T .lu N u U m m Aw. m R g m mm m 8m E m L B8 a D 5 Am U M H h. 6.

ged so that they must first be rotated angularly with respect to eachother in order to slide them inwardly of each other.

[5|] [50] Field of ATENTED SEP 7192:

SHEEI 1 0F 2 FIGI FIG.5

INVENTORS CHARLES E. MURCOTT ARTHUR SALERNO ATTORNEY ,"ATENTED SEP 71921 SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTORS CHARLES E. MURCOTT ARTHUR vSALERNO ATTORNEYADJUSTABLE BED RAIL UNIT present invention relates to guardrails of thecharacter 1 described including a telescoping frame construction adaptedto secure the guardrails and frame to the mattress support frame of abed in an adjustable and readily releasable manner.

Adjustable guardrails and frames for securing the rails to hospital bedsor the like are widely known and used in hospitals, nursing and privatehomes. For example, in US. Pat. No. 3,089,152, the guardrail and frameunits consist of a pair of telescoping guardrails which are adapted tobe adjustably positioned along the edges of the bed. The guardrails areconnected or fastened to crossheads which form part of telescoping framestructural members adapted to secure the guardrails to the bed ormattress supporting frame. The telescoping frame structural members arelongitudinally adjustable through the use of a plurality of spacedapertures in one of the members, which are selectively engaged by aspring-actuated button or pin located in the other telescoping member.The telescoping members incorporate suitable clamping devices in orderto secure the guardrail and frame unit to the bed or mattress supportframe.

Although the aforementioned guardrail constructions have been proven tobe generally satisfactory, they aresubject to limitations anddisadvantages, which to a considerable extent, affect their use in theirintended field of application. Thus, for example, the prior artguardrail units are generally difficult to adjust when mounted ondifferent width or size bed frames. That is, the guardrail units of thetype described in US. Pat. No. 3,089,152 do not readily clamp onto thebed or mattress supporting frames without extensive manipulation of theguar drail frames, and in addition, require cumbersome fastener devicesto retain them inmounted position on the bed frames. In essence, thepresently used guardrail units are relatively difficult to adjust, mountand dismount from variously dimens ioned bed frames without extensivemovement or manipulation.

In the above-mentioned patent application is disclosed a new guardrailunit whichobviates the disadvantages and drawbacks encountered in .theprior art by providing a guardrail and telescoping frame assemblyadapted to be installed on and secured in a simple manner to a bed frameor mattress support frame. Essentially, that invention contemplates theuse of telescoping tubular frame members which incorporate a ten sionspring adapted to exert a continuous longitudinal expansive force on theframe members. The telescoping members also include guide plates andclamping plates adjacent to their spaced ends which, under the urging ofthe tension spring, will readily clamp and secure the frame andguardrail unit onto a bedor mattress-supporting frame by means of asimple manipulation, and without the need for extensive adjustment ofthe frame. The frame also includes a pin arrangement for mounting thetension spring, whereby one of the guide plates, during dismounting ofthe frame members from a bed, is adapted to contact one of the pins soas to exert a compressive force on the spring and on the frame members.Another feature of that invention lies in that the telescoping framemembers, and the guard rail supporting crossheads at their ends, arerotatable relative to one another so as to facilitate adjustment of theguardrail installation.

In the telescoping frame assembly above-mentioned, it has been notedthat sometimes the telescoped members will become disengaged from thebed frame with which they are engaged due to inadvertent inward movementof the telescoped members against tension in the spring while a guardrail isvmounted on the frame assembly. The present invention is intendedto obviate this difficulty by providing a slot with a camming edge inthe outer one of the tubular members and a guide pin projecting radiallyfrom the inner one of the tubular members in such a way that the tubularmembers cannot be fully telescoped inwardly of each other unless the bedrails which they support are first removed, and then tubular members areturned angularly with respect to each other about 30. By thisarrangement, the frame assembly cannot accidentally be compressed anddisengaged from the bed frame. Another improvement in the present frameassembly is in the use of just two telescoped tubular members with abushing on the smaller one of the tubular members instead of threetubular members employed in the frame assembly previously disclosed.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providean improved bed guardrail and frame assembly having an'adjustable frameincluding a pair of telescoped tubular members arranged so that theymust be turned angularly with respect to each other in order to removethem from a bed frame, with crossheads so arranged that the bed railsthey support must be removed before the tubular members can be turnedwith respect to each other.

Another object is to provide a guardrail unit having just two telescopedlarger and smaller tubular members with a bushing on the smaller tubularmember for properly aligning clamp brackets adapted to engage on railsof a bed frame.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a hospital bed,illustrating the mounting of a guardrail unit according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the guardrail frame according tothe present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view similar to FIG. 2, but with partsbroken away showing the connections of the frame members with guardrailsand the clamping engagement with a bed mattress-supporting frame;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the tension spring and loop of the frame.

FIG. 7 is a further enlarged side view of a portion of the frame takenon line 7 --7 of FIG. 4, to show the camming slot and guide pin morefully, the tubular members being in fully extended position.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing the tubular members in morefully telescoped position with the guide pin engaged in the cammingslot.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,there is illustrated a bed guardrail assembly, shown mounted on ahospital bed 11', having a folding bed frame 15, supporting mattress 17.The bed guardrail assembly, which includes a pair of side rails 10, 10'.Each rail has a telescoping small diameter end 12, 12 and a largediameter end l4, 14 which are formed, respectively into dependingapertured posts 16,16 and 18, 18'.

The rails 10, 10 are adapted to be supported by a pair of frames 20,20'. The frames 20, 20' each comprise, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of thedrawings, frame members 22 and 24 which have at their ends tubularcrossheads 26 and 28 respectively, which are normally axially paralleland coplanar. Adjustably positioned within the crossheads 26 and 28 arethe parallel apertured posts 16, 16' and 18, 18 of the guardrail. All ofthe crossheads may have the usual standard pullout spring-pin keymembers 30 adapted to selectively engage the longitudinally spacedapertures in the posts 16, 18 and 16', 18. The frames 20, 20' may besubstantially identical except that the crossheads of one frame may bedimensioned smaller to receive snugly the smaller diameter posts 16, andthe other frame crossheads will be dimensioned larger to snugly receivethe larger diameter posts 18, 18'.

One frame member 24 is comprised of a tubular member 23 carrying aradially outward extending pin 46 which also acts as a stop in a mannerto be hereinafter more fully described. The tubular member 23 telescopesover tubular member 25 of frame member 22. Tubular member 25 is longerin length but smaller in diameter than member 23. A pin 32 extendsdiametrally through member 25 and extends outwardly of member 25 at bothsides. Pin 32 is spaced from crosshead 26. A bushing 33 surrounds member22 and is disposed between pin 32 and crosshead. The diameter of thebushing is the same as the diameter of tubular member 23. Pin 46 alsoextends diametrally through member 23 and is spaced from crosshead 28.Pin 46 extends axially outward of member 23 at both sides; see FIG. 5.

A tension spring assembly 36 extends longitudinally through the members22, 23 between pin 46 and another diametral pin 66 in member 25; seeFIG. 4. The tension spring assembly 36, as illustrated in FIG. 6,includes an elongate closed loop 38 having one end looped about pin 66and the other end looped about pin 46. This in effect, will limit theaxial expansion of the frames 20. 20' to the extent defined by themaximum distance between pins 32, 46 in the loop 38. A coiled tensionspring 40 is positioned about loop 38 for substantially its fulllongitudinal length so as to exert a continuous separating force on pins32, 46 and thereby maintain the frames 20, 20 in their widest extendedposition.

The pin 32 in frame member 22 extends radially outwardly of the framemember so as to form a stop or limiting contact 42 for a guide assembly44 mounted on bushing 33 between pin 32 and crosshead 26. Pin 46 onmember 23 has a stop 45 for guide assembly 44' disposed between 46 andcrosshead 28.

As shown, each of the guide assemblies 44 or 44' includes a U-shapedclamp or bracket 48 adapted to loosely slide on the member (33 or 23)between the pin and crosshead. A flat guide plate 50 is welded orsuitably fastened, to the leg portions of bracket 48. A bent clamp-plate52 is fastened to the plate 50 so as to form essentially a wedge-shapedclevis or clamping fixture between plates 50 and 52.

An axially extending slot 60 is formed in the inner end portion oftubular member 23. This slot has a widened end portion formed with acurved camming edge 62 extending obliquely from the straight portion ofthe slot at the inner end of member 23. The pin 66 is fixed diametrallyin tubular member 25 and is located normally at the inner end of slot 60of tubular member 23 to limit relative rotation movement of members 23,25 to the width of the end of the slot; see FIGS. 2, 3 and 7. Pin 66 hasa head 68 which extends radially outward of member 25 and is normallydisposed in alignment with an intermediate point on the camming edge 62.The pin is so located that relative inward axial movement of the twotelescopic members 23, 25 will be stopped when head 68 reaches edge 62ifthe crossheads 26 and 28 are held in coplanar parallel alignment bybed guardrails 10, However, if the crossheads are free to turn angularlywith respect to each other, the telescopic members 23, 25 will turnangularly with respect to each other through an angle A (FIG. 4) as theyare forced inwardly, so that head 68 is caused to slide along the narrowportion of slot 60 up to its blind end 60 as shown in FIG. 8. This isthe inner limit of compression of the frame assembly 20 and 20 shown inFIG. 1.

When it is desired to position frame 20 or 20 on a typical bed II asshown in FIG. 1, the guide assembly 44 may first be installed on themattress-supporting frame 15. The flange 54 of frame rail will be wedgedbetween plates 50 and 52 of guide assembly 44. The frame or 20 will thenbe longitudinally compressed while the members 23, turn angularly withrespect to each other through angle A, until flange 54 of bed frame raill5" can be wedged between plates 50', 52' of the guide assembly 44'. Atthis time the lower surface ofguide plate 50, 50', of each of the guideassemblies 44, 44 is permitted to rest upon the bed frame 15. As thecompressive pressure on telescoping members 23, 25 is released, theforce of tension spring 40 will cause the frame members 22, 24 to expandrelative to each other and restore crossheads 26, 28 to coplanarposition. The pins 32, 46 will now contact the brackets 48 on guideassemblies 44, 44' and push them apart as the frame members 22, 24expand. This in effect will cause the bed frame 54 on each side of thebed to be firmly clamped between guide plate 50 and clamp plate 52,since the spring 40 will maintain a continuous expanding force on theguide assemblies 44, 44'. From the foregoing, it becomes evident thatthe frame 20, 20 and the guiderails may be assembled on a bed frame andlocked thereto by means ofa simple sliding motion.

In order to readjust or dismount the frame 20, 20 from the bed frame 15,it is only necessary to impart a force to the crossheads 26, 28 inopposition to the force of tension spring 40. This will cause the framemembers 22, 24 to telescope. The crosshead will then contact the end ofguide plate 50 (which is prevented from moving longitudinally by thebracket 48 contacting the respective stop pin 32 or 46) and slide thelatter off the bed frame 54, thereby dismounting the frame from the bed.

It will be understood that if someone should lean on the bed rails 10 or10 to tend to compress frame 20 or 20' the frame will not accidentallybecome disengaged from the bed rails l5, 15''. This is because theframes 20 and 20' cannot be compressed sufficiently to disengage guideassemblies 44 and 44 from the bed rails unless the crossheads 26, 28 arefree to turn; and this cannot happen unless the bed rails 10, 10 areremoved from the crossheads. Once the rails are removed the crossheadsand tubular members 22, 24 are free to turn rela tive to each other.This rotation is possible because the frame members are interconnectedonly by the flexible loop 38. Thus the present invention has a build-insafety feature which is highly desirable.

Many modifications may be devised by those skilled in the art in orderto meet different user requirements. Thus, for example, the tension loopassembly may be made shorter in length than the preferred embodimenthereinabove described such that one end is looped about pin 46 and theother end looped about a pin (not shown) which would be located closerto crosshead 28 than the pin 66.

The foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of theinvention and is intended to cover all changes and modifications of theexample of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of disclosure,which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is: 1. A frame member for an adjustable bed guardrailapparatus of the type having depending posts at opposite ends andadapted to be mounted on a frame ofa bed having a pair of side rails,comprising in combination:

a pair of tubular members axially telescoped into each other andturnable circumferentially with respect to each other,

cylindrical crossheads secured at outer ends of the tubular membersrespectively for receiving respective depending parallel posts of aguardrail, said crossheads being normally disposed in axially paralleland coplanar position;

connecting means coupled between the tubular members and adapted toexert an axially expansive force therebetween;

guide-clamping means moveably mounted on each end of the tubular membersadjacent one of the crossheads and responsive to said axially expansiveforce to engage the side rails of the bed frame;

guide-clamping stop means positioned on each tubular member to provide astop for axial movement of said guide-clamping means;

and safety means for preventing axial movement of one tubular memberinto the other tubular member while the tubular crossheads are axiallyparallel and coplanar with each other and for permitting such inwardaxial movement only when the tubular membersare rotated with respect toeach other to dispose the crossheads out of their normal axiallyparallel coplanar position, whereby the guide-clamping means can bedisengaged from the side rails of the bed frame only when the posts ofthe guardrail are removed from the crossheads to permit relativerotation of the tubular members.

2. A frame member as defined in claim 1, wherein said safety meanscomprises a pin extending radially outward of one of the tubularmembers, and a slot extending axially outward toward one crosshead froman inner end of the other tubular member, said slot having a straightportion and a circumferentially offset end portion which is normallyaligned with said pin to stop axially inward movement of the tubularmembers, whereby the pin can slide in the straight portion of the slotonly when the crossheads and tubular members are turned angular withrespect to each other to align the pin with the straight portion of theslot.

3. A frame member as defined in claim 2, wherein said offset portion ofthe slot has an oblique camming portion to guide the pin into thestraight portion of the slot while the crossheads and tubular membersare rotated with respect to each other.

4. A frame member as defined in claim 3, wherein said pin is normallydisposed in said slot at the inner end of said other tubular member tolimit circumferential rotation of the tubular members with respect toeach other to an angle determined by the width of said offset endportion of the slot.

5. A frame member as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the tubularmembers is smaller in diameter than the other tubular member, andfurther comprising a bushing on said one tubular member adjacent thecrosshead thereon and supporting the guide-clamping means thereon, saidbushing having a diameter equal to that of the other tubular member sothat the guide-clamping means are disposed in axial alignment on bothtubular members.

6. A frame member as defined in claim 2, wherein said guide-clampingstop means on the other tubular member comprises another pin extendingradially outward of the other tubular member, said connecting meanscomprising biasing means interconnecting both pins and thereby exertingsaid axially expansive force on the telescoped tubular members.

7. A frame member as defined in claim 6, wherein said biasing meanscomprises a tension spring extending axially between the two pins.

8. A frame member as defined in claim 6, wherein said biasing meansfurther comprises an elongated closed loop member, the ends of the loopmember each engaging respectively one of the pins so as to restrictaxially expansive movement of the telescoped tubular members.

9. A frame member as defined in claim 8, wherein said biasing meansfurther comprises a tension spring engaged on said loop member andbearing against said pins at opposite ends of the spring.

10. A frame member as defined in claim 6, wherein said offset portion ofthe slot has an oblique camming portion to guide the pin into thestraight portion of the slot while the crossheads and tubular membersare rotated with respect to each other.

1. A frame member for an adjustable bed guardrail apparatus of the typehaving depending posts at opposite ends and adapted to be mounted on aframe of a bed having a pair of side rails, comprising in combination: apair of tubular members axially telescoped into each other and turnablecircumferentially with respect to each other; cylindrical crossheadssecured at outer ends of the tubular members respectively for receivingrespective depending parallel posts of a guardrail, said crossheadsbeing normally disposed in axially parallel and coplanar position;connecting means coupled between the tubular members and adapted toexert an axially expansive force therebetween; guide-clamping meansmoveably mounted on each end of the tubular members adjacent one of thecrossheads and responsive to said axially expansive force to engage theside rails of the bed frame; guide-clamping stop means positioned oneach tubular member to provide a stop for axial movement of saidguide-clamping means; and safety means for preventing axial movement ofone tubular member into the other tubular member while the tubularcrossheads are axially parallel and coplanar with each other and forpermitting such inward axial movement only when the tubular members arerotated with respect to each other to dispose the crossheads out oftheir normal axially parallel coplanar position, whereby theguide-clamping means can be disengaged from the side rails of the bedframe only when the posts of the guardrail are removed from thecrossheads to permit relative rotation of the tubular members.
 2. Aframe member as defined in claim 1, wherein said safety means comprisesa pin extending radially outward of one of the tubular members, and aslot extending axially outward toward one crosshead from an inner end ofthe other tubular member, said slot having a straight portion and acircumferentially offset end portion which is normally aligned with saidpin to stop axially inward movement of the tubular members, whereby thepin can slide in the straight portion of the slot only when thecrossheads and tubular members are turned angular with respect to eachother to align the pin with the straight portion of the slot.
 3. A framemember as defined in claim 2, wherein said offset portion of the slothas an oblique camming portion to guide the pin into the straightportion of the slot while the crossheads and tubular members are rotatedwith respect to each other.
 4. A frame member as defined in claim 3,wherein said pin is normally disposed in said slot at the inner end ofsaid other tubular member to limit circumferential rotation of thetubular members with respect to each other to an angle determined by thewidth of said offset end portion of the slot.
 5. A frame member asdefined in claim 1, wherein one of the tubular members is smaller indiameter than the other tubular member, and further comprising a bushingon said one tubular member adjacent the crosshead thereon and supportingthe guide-clamping means thereon, said bushing having a diameter equalto that of the other tubular member so that the guide-clamping means aredisposed in axial alignment on both tubular members.
 6. A frame memberas defined in claim 2, wherein said guide-clamping stop means on theother tubular member comprises another pin extending radially outward ofthe other tubular member, said connecting means comprising biasing meansinterconnecting both pins and thereby exerting said axially expansiveforce on the telescoped tubular members.
 7. A frame member as defined inclaim 6, wherein said biasing means comprises a tension spring extendingaxIally between the two pins.
 8. A frame member as defined in claim 6,wherein said biasing means further comprises an elongated closed loopmember, the ends of the loop member each engaging respectively one ofthe pins so as to restrict axially expansive movement of the telescopedtubular members.
 9. A frame member as defined in claim 8, wherein saidbiasing means further comprises a tension spring engaged on said loopmember and bearing against said pins at opposite ends of the spring. 10.A frame member as defined in claim 6, wherein said offset portion of theslot has an oblique camming portion to guide the pin into the straightportion of the slot while the crossheads and tubular members are rotatedwith respect to each other.